Download first lesson of the Early China

Early China
The Huang He River (a.k.a. YELLOW River)
starts in the TIBETAN Plateau
and flows 2,900 miles to the Yellow Sea
carries LOESS - a dusty yellow soil
called "China's SORROW” due to
devastating FLOODS which
killed MILLIONS of people
Chang Jiang (LONG River or YANGTZE River) - world's 3rd longest river
flows more than 3,900 miles from Tibetan Plateau to EAST CHINA Sea
flows through GORGES which
are mountain passes with steep sides
KUNLUN SHAN Mountains, TIAN SHAN Mountains,
the TIBETAN Plateau, and the GOBI Desert
Legend says XIA was the first dynasty
but there is no historical evidence of it.
The Shang Dynasty (1750 B.C. – 1045 B.C.)
capital of ANYANG served as a capital
king was POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, and MILITARY leader
started with small area of NORTHERN China
WARLORDS governed local
territories with their armies
ARISTOCRATS - kings, warlords,
and royal officials who passed
wealth on to their children
most people were FARMERS who lived in RURAL villages
raised CATTLE, sheep, and chickens; grew MILLET, wheat, and rice
smaller groups of ARTISANS, MERCHANTS, and slaves
believed in POLYTHEISM; gods could bring GOOD or BAD fortune
SHANG TI was the supreme god
honored and made offerings to ANCESTORS
used ORACLE bones to tell the future
the origins of Chinese WRITING date back to this period
PICTOGRAPHS are characters represent objects,
IDEOGRAPHS are 2 or more pictographs that represent an idea
most characters represent entire WORDS
arts included BRONZE work, SILK weaving,
and statues of ivory and JADE
The Zhou Dynasty 1045BC – 256BC (almost 800 years)
WU WANG overthrew the Shang dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty 1045BC – 256BC
ruled under the “MANDATE of HEAVEN”
king chosen by the GODS to rule JUSTLY and well
king also carried out RELIGIOUS ceremonies
king ruled with the help of a BUREAUCRACY
aristocrats ruled their own local TERRITORIES
advancements include:
developed new IRRIGATION
expanded TRADE
(archaeologists found SILK
as far away as GREECE)
)
WARRING STATES Period lasted from ca 475 B.C. to 221 B.C.
Local rulers frequently fight with each other
became skilled at riding HORSES during battles